Apparatus for extracting fruit



July 18, 1944. R. B. M KINNIS APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING-FRUIT 5 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sept. 12, 1940 m. 7 p .1 2 W .7 n M 6 u m'mw m n IIHHI J 6 "nu f.

IR 7 I 1]! i 4 M 6 arM 1 W J y 18, R. B. MCKINNIS 2,353,841

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING FRUIT Filed Sept. 12, 1940 5 Sheefs-Sheet 2 'July 18, 1944. McKINN IS APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING FRUIT Filed Sept 12. 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 July 18, 1944; 'R. B. M KINNIS I APPARATUS FOR EXTRAGTING EIRUIIT Filed Sept. 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 18, 1944. R. B. M KlNNls 2,653,841

APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING FRUIT Filed Sept. 12, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet '5 FEEDING WHOLE FRUIT TO A JUICE EXTRACTOR IN OPEN I ATMOSPHERE CUTTING THE" FRUIT IN OPENVATMOSPHERE PASSING THE CUT SECTIONS OF FRUIT TO AGAS FILLED EXTRACTOR CHAMBER THROUGH A SEAL EXTRACTING THE JUICE IN A NON OXYDIZ- ING ATMOSPHERE WITHIN THE CHAMBER WlTI-IDRAWING THE EXTRACTED DISOHARGING PEELS FROM THE JUICE FROM 'THEVGHAMBER CHAMBER THROUGH A SEAL @mna flfiVf/Mv/s v We Patented July 18, 1944 APPARATUS FOR EXTKACTIN G FRUIT Ronald B. McKinnll, Winter Haven, Fla., assignor. by means assignments, to Ronald B. Mo-

K Winter Haven, Fla.

innis, doing business as McKinnis Foods, v

Application September 12, 1940, Serial No. 356,548

8 Claim.

My invention relates to an extracting apparatus and in particular to apparatus for use in extracting juice from citrus fruit.

It is an object of the invention to extract juice from fruit and vegetables, and in particularcitrus fruit, without permitting access oi the oxygen of the air to the juice extracted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and mechanism which will permit the peel oil from the surface of the skin of the fruit when it is initially cut to be ejected from the system, so that the amount of peel oil obtained in the extracted juice which flows from the extracting chamber is minimized.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflective ejecting means for ridding the extracting mechanism of the hulls of the extracted fruit or vegetables.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel type of seal which comprises a flexible gasket arrangement which permits of simplification in both process and apparatus where the fruit or vegetable is extracted in an inert atmosphere.

With these and other objects in view, I have illustrated one form of my process and one embodiment of my apparatus, though it is to be understood that changes may be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, and partly in section, showing my extracting mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along the line 6-42 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the construction and operation of the ejector finger mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken through the axis of rotation of one pair of the extractor rollers;

Fig. "7 is a detail sectional view showing how the fruit is cut;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view showing how the juice is extracted;

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing how the peel is ejected from the holding pockets;

Fig. 10 is a flow sheet showing one form of my process.

Referring to the drawings. I have shown a bars 3 and lower crossbars I. On the upper crossbars l are adapted to be Journaled at I upper extractor rollers I mounted on shafts I. Journaled at I are lower extractor rollers 8 mounted on shafts it.

One of the upper shafts I and the upper extractor rollers 6 carries a sprocket wheel II which is adapted to be driven by a chain drive from a suitable source of power, not shown. The shaft 1 which carries the sprocket wheel i I also carries a gear l2 which meshes with a gear I; mounted on the other shaft I. Both shafts I therefore revolve together. Each shaft 1. also carries a gear H which meshes respectively with gears I! carried by the shafts ill of the lower extractor drums 9. The arrangement is such that by a compressor heads ll carried by the lower extractor drums 9 during rotation of the drums 'through the gear'trains above described.

The upper part of each extractor drum 5 is adapted to revolve in the open air and the lower part is adapted to revolve out of contact with air and in communication with an extractor chamher is in which the lower extractor drums 9 are wholly housed. The extractor chamber I9 is provided with a downwardly sloping bottom, as inwhich the juice extracted is to be discharged. In

practice there will be valves controlling the flow of juice, but these are not shown in the drawings for purposes of simplicity. The juice discharged through the aperture 2| flows through a juice line 22 to some point of storage, or to a can filling machine.

Adapted to fill the extractor chamber l9 with hot water is a hot water pipe 23 having a control valve 24. In practice the juice extracting chamher is completely filled with sterilizing hot water. The hot water is then withdrawn from the system, flowing out through juice line 22, and at the same time inert gas, such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen. or a mixture of the two, is allowed to now into the system through the pipe 25 controlled by a valve 25. In filling the system with hot water through the pipe 23, a vent 28 is opened in the line 25 to permit air in the system to escape as the hot water is introduced into the systern.

framework 5 comprising uprights 2, upper r I By the method outline, the system is thoroughupper extractor drums 0. There are three rows of holding pockets shown in the upper extractor drums 8, and the trough 21- is shown provided with chutes It for each of the three rows of holding pockets provided in the upper extracting drums.

The hulls discharged from the holding pockets are adapted to fall into discharge chutes ll located at either side of the machine which feed on to power driven endless belts II which discharge the hulls at a remote point.

Each holding pocket It is formed as is illustrated in the cross sectional view, Figure 6. There is a semi-circular indentation 3i formed in the drum i, and such semi-circular indentation ii has an offset indentation I! at one side of its upper edge. Mounted in the indentation 32 is a fulcrum member 38 on which is adapted to pivot at It an ejecting finger 3B whichis adapted to lie within the groove 3| formed within the cup ll. The finger I8 is provided with a fulcrum arm I. provided with a depression 31 in which lies a leaf spring ll suitably attached, as

indicated at 3!, in a groove 40 formed in the outer surface of the upper extractor drum 0. I In operation the ejector finger II is downwardly pressed against the tension of spring is into the position shown in full lines in Figure 5, just prior to the cutting operation. The fruit is held compressed against the ejector finger 3! during the extracting operation and at the end of the extracting operation when there is no longer any pressure on the fruit or hull the ejector finger, tensioned by the spring I8, springs into the position shown in dotted lines in FiKure 5, and ejects the hull into one of the chutes 20 from whence it passes to the conveyors I0, and is removed by the movement of the conveyor belts. In order to cut the fruit there is provided a lmife 4| mounted on a base 42 which is triangular in cross section. The knife is adapted to halve the fruit as it is carried forward by the rotation of the extractor drums in the direction of the arrows, as is indicated in'Flgure 7. Thejuice initially set free from the rupture of the fruit sacs through the action of they knife Ii, tends to carry away essential oil which is ejected at the time the skin of the fruit is cut by the knife 4i. There is a channel formed between each of the extracting drums 8 and the base 42 which holds the knife II. This channel I have indicated by the numeral 43. The initially discharged juice and the initially discharged peel oil are conveyed away by this channel from possible entrance into the extractor chamber proper.

This feature is of considerable importance since the amount of peel oil which will be found in the extracted juice as it flows from the extracting chamber is minimized by the feature of the invention just above described.

In order to insure that atmospheric oxygen shall not contact the juice from the time the skin is broken until the juice is extracted in the inert atmosphere, in the extracting chamber is I have provided ingress gaskets, indicated generally by the numeral 44-, and egress gaskets, in--- dicated generally by the numeral ll.

similar. The gaskets comprise sealing layers of "Neoprene" ll which is held in gas-tight contact with the outer cylindrical and end surfaces of the extractor drums i, as illustrated in Figure 6. In order to hold the Neoprene" gaskets 40 in position, I have shown a support 41 for the gaskets which is constructed of sheet metal and which holds the gaskets in gas-tight contact with the cylindrical and end surfaces of the extractor drums I. The semi-cylindrical support member 41 forms the top of the extractor chamber It.

Adjacent the holding pockets il the "Neoprene" gaskets 40 are in contact with grid members 4| which allow the male members II to contact the fruit held in pockets II.

The function of the Neoprene" gaskets, as indicated at 44 and ll, is to prevent access of oxygen to the juice. The surface of the cut fruit isadapted to traverse the knife I and the exterior surfaces of the triangular base piece 4! and be guided into the'juncture of the drum I and the gasket 44. Rotation of the drum l carries the holding pockets around, as illustrated in Figure 7, the cut surface of the fruit after passing the surface of the triangular base 42 lying against the "Neoprene" gaskets it until the half of the fruit reaches the position shown in Figure 8. At such position a male member I1 is adapted to squeeze the juice sacs, as illustrated in Figure 8, and express juice into the extracting chamber II. The grid ll prevents the fruit and hull after extracting from falling into the extracting chamber ll. When rotation of the upper and lower extracting drums 0 and 0 causes the male 'mem- I.

bers H which are adapted to mesh with the holding pockets I. to move out of contact with the hulls, the hulls are carried with their cut edges bearing against the grids l8 and then against the "Neoprene" gaskets 45, until the rotation of the drums O carries the hulls to the position illusthe ingress seals 44. Further rotation causes the male members ii to express juice from the fruit and the hulls are carried around into contact with the egress seals 45 which are similar formed to the ingress seals, and which are line s with an acid resisting material such as Neoprene. Further rotation of the drums frees the cut pieces of the hulls from contact with the "Neoprene lining of the sealing gaskets and the hulls are discharged, as illustrated in Figure 9, from the extractor mechanism.

While I have shown one process and one apparatus, it is to be understood that I am to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the showing of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A juice extractor comprising a juice extracting chamber where the fruit is adapted to be extracted in an inert atmosphere, a knife for the fruit located at a point immediately prior to the point of ingress of the cut fruit into the chamber, a gasket preventing access of atmospheric oxygen to the chamber located adjacent the knife, and channels located below the knife and between the knife and the gasket to permit the The construction of each of these gaskets is fiow of peel oil'and juice from the cut fruit to be evacuated whereby passage into the extracting chamber is inhibited.

2. A juice extractor comprising a iuice extracting'chamber wherein the juice is adapted to be extracted in an atmosphere of inert gas, a knife for cuttingthe whole fruit located at a point.

immediately in advance of the point of ingress of the cut fruit into the extracting chamber. means preventing access of atmospheric oxygen into the chamber. and channels locatedbelow the cutting knife and between the knife and said means to enable the iiow of peel oil and juice from the cut fruit to be evacuated whereby passage into the extracting chamber is inhibited.

3. A fruit Juice extractor comprising a cham- ,drums, flexible sealing members extending from the cutting member and having their free edges adjoining the chamber, said sealing members having a surface contact with the drums and the cut surfaces of the fruit whereby access of atmospheric oxygen to the Juice is inhibited, an

ber wherein the juice is adapted o be extracted from the fruit under non-oxidizing conditions, a

pair of rotary drums adioining the chamber for feeding the fruit thereto and discharging the peels therefrom. coacting pockets in the drums for receiving the fruit. a cutting member adiacent the drums and adapted to cut the fruit in a manner so that its cut surfaces lie substantially flush with the peripheral surfaces of the drums. flexible sealing members extending from the cutting member and having their free edges adaperture in each sealing member to permit extraction-of the Juice, means to collect and remove the Juices and peel oil released in cutting whereby admission of peel oil into the extraction chamber is prevented.

5. A'fruit Juice extractor comprising a chamber wherein the Juice is adapted to be extracted from the fruit, a knife positioned exteriorly of the chamber, a conveyor adapted to move whole fruit over the knife to cut the fruit and then 7 move the cut fruit to the extraction chamber,

joining the chamber, said sealing members hav-,

ing a surface contact with the drums and the cut surfaces of the; fruit whereby access of atmospheric oxygen to the juice is inhibited, means to collect and remove the Juices and peel oil released in cutting whereby admission of peel oil into the extraction chamber is prevented. y

4. A fruit Juice extractor comprising a chamber wherein the juice is adapted to be extracted as from the fruit under non-oxidizing conditions, a pair of rotary drums adjoining the chamber for 'and. means to collect and remove the juice and peel oilreleased in cutting whereby admission of peel oil into'said extracting chamber is prevented.

8. A fruit Juice extractor comprising a chamber wherein the Juice is adapted to be extracted from the fruit, a knife positioned exteriorly of the chamber, a conveyor adapted to move whole fruit over the knife to cut the fruit and then move the cut fruit to the extraction chamber, and channel means adjacent the knife to collect and remove the Juice and peel oil released in cutting whereby admission of peel oil into said chamber is prevented.

RONALD B. McKINNIS. 

